First Knight
by Windancer
Summary: A Haruka and Michiru AU fic based on Tamora Pierce's wonderful Alanna series. UPDATED 27-09-04.
1. Chapter 1

Title: First Knight  
  
Pairing: Haruka and Michiru.  
  
Rating: PG-13 but some parts may be R due to a bit of violence.  
  
Okay here we go again. This fic is definitely AU. It's sort of based on Tamora Pierce's Alanna series so you will definitely see some similarities to that wonderful series in here. It's not actually set in Tortall but I'm borrowing some of her ideas.  
  
And thanks everyone for all the wonderful feedback on my last story ^-^  
  
Disclaimers: Haruka. Michiru. Sailor Moon. Not mine. Not mine. Not mine. Tamora Pierce's stuff belongs to her. Tristan and Ishtar however, are all mine. Seeing as I'm an eternal supporter of Haruka and Michiru as a couple, this story will contain references to two women who are very much in love with each other, so if that isn't your cup of tea, hit the back button on your browser.  
  
Anyway on with the story.  
  
*********  
  
Part 1  
  
"I've made my decision. There is no further need for discussion", said the King of Uranus. He shifted his cold gaze to the next people in line, summarily dismissing the two children in front of him. They had no choice but to leave the throne room, shoulders slumped in defeat.  
  
"I told you he wouldn't listen", the boy muttered as they made their way along the palace corridors. "He doesn't give a damn about us".  
  
"Don't you think I know that?" the girl exploded. She hurriedly lowered her voice as one of the numerous palace guards looked in their direction. "All he cares about is money and power. We're just in his way".  
  
The boy sighed as he pulled open the door to their rooms. "Well at least we'll be getting away from this place. That's got to be worth something". He slumped down onto the nearest chair and stared at the tips of his boots.  
  
"That's easy for you to say. You get to train to be Uranus Knight", his sister snapped angrily, slamming the door shut. "All I have to look forward to is a glorified training course on how to be a Princess. No running Haruka," she said primly. "Speak softly Haruka. Sit still Haruka". She started pacing the room. "Six whole years of that will drive me insane. There has to be another way."  
  
"You think I want to be Uranus Knight?" The boy asked incredulously as he watched her pace. Llauron and Haruka Tenoh, the Prince and Princess of Uranus were twins, both with blonde hair and green eyes. But that was where the similarities ended. While Haruka was tall and athletically built, her brother was small and frail. His too pale skin reflected years spent indoors studying, while Haruka's robust tan showed her preference for outdoor activities.  
  
"All I've ever wanted to do is study and become a Healer." Llauron continued heatedly. "To help people. Not the stupid sword waving that I'm going to end up doing. At least you'll get to learn about magic".  
  
Haruka whirled about, her green eyes flashing angrily. "Yeah and a fat lot of good that's going to do me. You know as well as I do that there's been no Sailor Uranus for nearly a thousand years. Ever since..-," she trailed off looking vaguely uncomfortable.  
  
"Tristan and Ishtar", her brother finished for her. Llauron suppressed a smile as Haruka winced. For some reason the topic of the most famous pair of star crossed lovers in the history of the Silver Alliance always made her jittery. He had his own private theory about exactly why that was, but only time would prove him right.  
  
"Yeah them". She coughed into her fist before continuing hurriedly. "So anyway what's the point of me learning magic when I'm never going to be able to wield the powers of Sailor Uranus."  
  
"I wouldn't be too sure of that", Llauron muttered under his breath. He watched in fascination as an invisible wind stirred his sister's long blonde hair. His own hair didn't move at all, which wasn't all that surprising since they were currently indoors in an enclosed room.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing." Llauron continued hurriedly before she could quiz him. "Look Haruka we're just going to have to face it. Tomorrow you leave for the Moon and I go to Earth."  
  
"Yeah where you'll get to do all the fun stuff, while I'll be stuck learning sewing and etiquette with a bunch of snobbish spoilt Princesses." Haruka flung herself disconsolately onto the couch.  
  
Llauron snorted. "By fun stuff I take it you mean jousting and fencing? You know how good I am at whacking things, and I'm not going to even start on how much horses love me".  
  
Haruka burst into laughter as she thought about her brother's non-existent riding skills. Uranians were universally renowned as the finest horse warriors in the Silver Alliance. Unfortunately for Llauron, his aversion for horses was more than amply returned by the beasts themselves. Somehow he managed to incite even the most docile of animals to throw him.  
  
"Yeah I guess", she grinned widely. "You should have been born Haruka. Then you could have gone to study at..-" Haruka gasped suddenly. "That's it!" She leapt of off the couch in excitement.  
  
"What?" Llauron asked warily. He just knew she'd come up with yet another one of her hair brained schemes.  
  
Even though they were alone Haruka glanced furtively around the room, before lowering her voice to a whisper. "Father being what he is, probably hasn't bothered sending off confirmation of my attendance to the Crystal Palace and yours to the Knight Preceptor. Since you're so great with computers, you could just hack into the system and change some details on the confirmation forms. Say we're twin boys and you can go to the Crystal Palace to study to be a Healer and I'll go to Earth. Since I'm going to be Uranus Knight they won't question your attendance. And knowing Father, he won't even bother reading the forms before he sends them of tomorrow."  
  
Llauron's mouth dropped open in shock. "You're crazy. It'll never work. You know it takes six years of training before they allow you to enter the Ordeal Chamber and receive your Crystal Armour. You'd have to pretend to be a boy for all that time at least." He too got to his feet and started pacing the room. "And you are going to eventually turn into a girl you know". He stared meaningfully at her flat chest.  
  
Haruka defensively crossed her arms. "Well I'll think of something when they..start to grow. And I'll just make sure I don't get into any situations which will require me to take off my clothes".  
  
"And there's something else you need to think about Haruka. What if there's a real reason behind the rule about why girls aren't allowed to be Knights?" Llauron asked worriedly. "Maybe the process of bonding with the Crystal Armour is something a girl's body can't handle." He held up his hand to forestall her eminent explosion. "And before you decide to go all whoop ass on me, you know that some boys have died in the Ordeal Chamber before."  
  
The blonde girl looked into green eyes the exact same shade as hers and saw only honest fear and worry in them. "I have to try Llaur. There's a chance that becoming a Knight may kill my body, but the other option of becoming a powerless Sailor Uranus, a Senshi in name only, would kill my spirit. Without the Crystal Wand it's impossible to transform into Uranus. I won't be able to carry out my duty of defending the Solar System. I'd be forsworn, like every Uranian Princess in the last thousand years. And Gods help me, I don't want to end up like Mother."  
  
Llauron went cold at her words. Ever since the Crystal Wand of Uranus had gone missing a thousand years ago with the tragic death of its last wielder, Tristan Tenoh, there had been no Sailor Uranus to guard the Solar System. It was part of the curse Tristan's lover, the Lady Ishtar Kaioh, the last Sailor Neptune had laid upon the people responsible for the death of her soulmate. Years of rivalry and mistrust between House Kaioh, the Neptunian Ruling Family and House Tenoh, the Uranian Ruling Family had led to a tragic set of circumstances that had resulted in Tristan being killed on their wedding day. Ishtar had been inconsolable. She walked into the Neptunian ocean carrying Tristan's body and was never seen again. The transformation Wands of Uranus and Neptune had disappeared with her. Legend had it that Tristan and Ishtar would be reborn someday and then and only then would the missing Wands be found.  
  
It was said that Queen Serenity had been so furious at the needless death of her Senshi that she'd seriously considered removing Uranus and Neptune from the Silver Alliance. But realizing that punishing an entire planet's people for the mistakes of their Ruling Family would set an ugly precedent, she'd chosen another course of action. She had instead simply refused to release either the Uranian or Neptunian Royal Families from their Outer Court Duty. As part of their Oath of Fealty to the Crown all members of the Silver Alliance were required to defend their planet. To fulfill this obligation each female heir in the respective planets Ruling Family became a Sailor Senshi, a magically enhanced Soldier wielding elemental powers. The Inner Court members, Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter were charged with keeping the peace in the Silver Alliance, whereas the Outer Court members, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto defended the Solar System from outside invaders. The male heirs became planetary Knights. Magically bonded to their Crystal Armour, which was impervious to most mundane and magical weaponry, a Knight was a potent defensive force and functioned as backup to the Senshi.  
  
Used to having two of the most powerful Senshi, both House Kaioh and House Tenoh were fiercely proud of their ability to defend themselves and the Silver Alliance, thereby fulfilling their hereditary Duty to High Queen Serenity. There had been many a time when the entire fate of the Silver Alliance had depended on the deeds of the Outer Court Soldiers. And they had always delivered. But all that changed with the disappearance of the Crystal Wands. Without the transformation wands, Neptunian and Uranian Princesses were just mortal women and carrying out their Outer Court Duty became an impossible task. Unable to fulfill their Oath, every succeeding generation of Uranian and Neptunian Royalty after Tristan and Ishtar had been forsworn. It had been a bitter blow to the two proud Outer Court Families. In order to have some sort of defense for their planets, they were forced to turn to the other Royal Families for help, which usually came in the form of marriage to a Knight. A thousand years of this had reduced Neptune and Uranus to virtual backwaters in the Silver Alliance. More and more concessions had to be made in order to secure a marriage with one of the Knights from the other Royal Families.  
  
This was how Haruka and Llauron's mother had ended up in loveless marriage that had eventually destroyed her. Lyra Tenoh had been found with her wrists slashed, three days short of her twenty fifth birthday. Both Llauron and Haruka privately suspected their father in her death but nothing was ever proven. No Pieter Mizuno, Mercury Knight, was much too smart for that. He'd wasted no time in seizing the Regency and installing himself as King of Uranus. Llauron's jaw hardened. He'd do anything in his power to prevent the same thing happening to his sister.  
  
"You're going to have to cut your hair you know", he said quietly.  
  
"Yes"! Haruka whooped and crunched Lauron in an enthusiastic bear hug. "This is going to work Llauron. You won't ever regret this."  
  
More cautious than his sister Llauron said a silent prayer to Uranus. He had a feeling they were going to need all the help they could get.  
  
******* TBC Reviews will be much appreciated ^-^ 


	2. Chapter 2

Title: First Knight  
  
Pairing: Haruka and Michiru  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
My apologies for the long delay between updates. Real life can be a pain sometimes in regards to free time. But I'm hoping to get this story moving much faster now. Thanks to everyone who was kind enough to leave a review. They are much appreciated and really motivate me to write.  
  
Haruka. Michiru. Sailor Moon. Not mine. Not mine. Not mine. For full disclaimers see Part 1  
  
*************  
  
Part 2  
  
Michiru Kaioh, the Princess of Neptune sat up in bed, a half scream bursting from her throat. It took her an agonizing few seconds of mind numbing terror before she got her bearings.  
  
Ah Gods. Not again.  
  
With a weary sigh she untangled herself from her twisted sheets and flicked on her bedside lamp. Her nose wrinkled in distaste. She was covered in sweat, her nightgown sticking uncomfortably to her skin.  
  
A few seconds later the door to her bedroom burst open, to admit the fully armoured form of her father, "Michiru! Are you okay?" He grimly looked around the room for whatever had caused his daughter's distress.  
  
"Yes Papa I'm fine. It was just a bad dream". Michiru blinked, slightly taken aback at seeing her father in the full armour of Jupiter Knight. His armoured chest and legs cast a soft green glow, but they were nowhere near as bright as the Jupiter symbol on his visor. The overall dark green of his armour was only broken by the aqua lines on the back of his gauntlets, which formed two small Neptune symbols, one on either hand.  
  
"Ah ok". Noting the complete lack of anything remotely threatening, Daryn Kino allowed his armour to fade away and sheepishly ran his hand through his mop of shoulder length brown hair. A large man, he could not have looked more different from his daughter and only identical deep blue eyes showed that they were related.  
  
"Another one"? A melodic voice asked softly. Liath Kaioh, the Queen of Neptune had followed her Bonded Knight and husband into the room. "That's the sixth one in as many days". She sat on the bed and took Michiru's hand in her own, her hazel eyes warm with concern. It was easy to see where Michiru got both her hair colour and delicate beauty from. A slight woman, Queen Liath had waist length aqua hair that framed her classically beautiful features.  
  
"I know Mama", Michiru lowered her eyes, shying away from her mother's concerned gaze. "But it's just dreams and they can't hurt me". She gently disengaged her hand, her features set in an expressionless mask.  
  
A pained look flitted across Queen Liath's face as she took in Michiru's shuttered expression. Her daughter had a disconcerting habit of hiding her feelings and withdrawing into her own world. Even from the people who loved her. "Sweetheart are you..",  
  
"It's ok Mama." Michiru interrupted her quietly but firmly. "I think I will be able to fall asleep soon." She deliberately lay back down and pulled the bedcovers up over herself.  
  
Liath sighed internally, knowing there was no point in pushing her daughter. "Okay sweetheart. Try to get some rest. You have a long trip to the Moon tomorrow." She gently straightened the bedcovers around Michiru's shoulders and stood up. "Goodnight darling".  
  
"Goodnight Mama. Goodnight Papa", Michiru said quietly.  
  
"Goodnight Littlefish. Sleep well." Daryn placed a gentle kiss on Michiru's brow and flicked off the bedside light. He took his wife's hand and led her from the room, shutting the door behind them.  
  
Despite her earlier reassuring words to her parents Michiru lay awake for a long time, her eyes focused on the painting hanging opposite her bed. The light cast from Triton, Neptune's largest moon allowed her to pick out the dim outline of two figures. From memory she knew it showed an impossibly beautiful sea-green haired woman in the arms of an equally attractive blonde. Her famous ancestor, Ishtar Kaioh, with her lover Tristan. Michiru had been told time and time again how much she resembled the last Senshi of Neptune. But as far as she was concerned she was nothing like her. Nothing at all. That woman had caused so much pain and heartbreak to people who had nothing to do with what had happened. A thousand years later and still House Kaioh suffered. Ishtar had put her need for vengeance over her duty to her Family and planet. It was her fault that the Kaioh name had been dragged through the mud. And Michiru just knew that it was Ishtar who was somehow responsible for the horrible nightmares she'd been having. Damn that woman to the deepest Hell.  
  
But as her gaze strayed unwillingly to the blonde, a part of her wondered how quick she would be to follow duty if it were her that Tristan was looking at with those beautiful silver eyes. The artist had somehow managed to capture the depth of emotion between Tristan and Ishtar. There was no other word for it but Love. Michiru's mouth twisted into a bitter smile. There would be no room for love in her life. Given the circumstances, she couldn't afford to pick and choose who she was to marry.  
  
Duty always came before love.  
  
And tomorrow Michiru would be leaving to the Moon. She would do her best to secure Neptune's future. Whatever the cost to her.  
  
***********  
  
A few doors down, Queen Liath gazed sadly at her husband. "I wish there was some way we could have spared her this."  
  
Daryn sighed and wrapped his arms around her. "Michiru has always been mature for her age. I think she can handle the responsibility."  
  
"She's eleven years old Daryn. Her biggest concerns should be whether she should swim in the ocean or play her violin, not about who she's going to have to marry to save Neptune."  
  
"Who knows maybe she's the..."  
  
"Don't!" The raw anger in Liath's normally gentle voice shook Daryn. "Every Neptunian Princess in the last thousand years has dreamt of being the one to call that cursed Wand. Don't get my hopes up. Or her's", she added in a softer tone.  
  
"Alright", Daryn placed an apologetic kiss on his wife's aqua hair. Then he grinned as a thought occurred to him. "Well on the bright side of things Michiru will finally get to meet girls her own age. That might coax her out of her shell. I seem to remember the last pair of Neptunian and Uranian Princesses certainly caused their fair share of trouble. Queen Serenity must be battening down the Crystal Palace hatches as we speak."  
  
Liath laughed softly. "That's true. Lyra and I certainly did get up to a few interesting things." She bit her lip, her eyes once again filled with sadness. "I just wish we could have kept in contact. Maybe that would have stopped her from doing what she did. If only Pieter wasn't..", she trailed of unable to find the right words.  
  
"Such a bastard" Daryn finished for her.  
  
"Yes", Liath sighed. "I still find it hard to believe Lyra Bonded him. Considering what she and Endymion had"  
  
Daryn frowned. "You know that never could have worked. Endymion was Human and the Uranian people would never have accepted him as King-Consort, no matter how Royal he was on Earth. If she had been anything but the Uranian Heir, Queen Serenity would probably have overlooked it and allowed them to marry. But unfortunately she was and once she failed to call the Wand, Lyra was still Duty bound to fulfill the Oath of Fealty."  
  
"I know. I know." Liath said. "There's been so much pain. I fear for what sacrifices our daughter will have to make."  
  
Daryn was quiet for a moment. "It hasn't been all bad you know." There was a pause. "I'd like to think we did okay", he continued softly.  
  
Liath's eyes widened as she heard the hurt in his voice. "No Daryn. No listen to me". She took his face in her hands. "We did more than just okay. I'm the luckiest Neptunian Heir in the last thousand years. I got to do something that even Ishtar, with all the powers of Sailor Neptune never got to do. I actually got to marry the love of my life. I only wish our daughter gets the chance to do the same".  
  
**********  
  
TBC. I have nearly completed Part 3 and hope to have it up shortly. Reviews will be much appreciated. ^-^ 


	3. Chapter 3

Title: First Knight  
  
Pairing: Haruka and Michiru  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Once again my apologies for the delay between updates. I got bogged down with the plot in this, and ended up rewriting much of Chapter 3. I will attempt to write faster, but let's just hope my muses cooperate and stop throwing me plot curveballs I just have to put in the story.  
  
Important Note I've been forced to change the time frame of things, to take into account the much longer life spans my muses insist the Senshi have. So the whole Tristan and Ishtar saga occurred 10,000 years ago, not 1000 years as I've stated in earlier parts.  
  
Haruka. Michiru. Sailor Moon. Not mine. Not mine. Not mine. For full disclaimers see Part 1  
  
And finally some long delayed thank you's for the wonderful feedback, that people were kind enough to leave.  
  
**Shalie**: Thank you for your kind offer. I might just take you up on it at some stage. This story has me tearing my hair out at times.  
  
**gale, Sadge, apl85, Caspy-chan, theSTRANGERwithin, skyking animefreak, yo- yo, Tigonookami, Dark Jinx, Neko, kmb1088, hunter007, Nyushin, Ruka** : Thank you all for your kind words. You have no idea how much reviews motivate me to write!  
  
**Ask me how i'm driving**: Hmm I haven't considered an Ami/Mako romance, but who knows. The only thing that worries me is that I don't know how good I would be writing their characters, since I tended not to pay much attention to the Inner Senshi while watching the S series. But we will see. I rather like them as a couple myself.  
  
**Prince of the Whipped Hentais**: Your review made my day. I do hope you are writing and I look forward to seeing what you've come up with.  
  
**Riva van Dyk**: I got this Chapter out under the 2 year mark! :P Go me! Thank you for reading my stories. I'm glad you enjoy them  
  
And now on with the story.

* * *

Part 3  
  
"Last chance to reconsider".  
  
Haruka took one last look at the reflection in the mirror. Determined green eyes stared back at her. "Just do it Llauron".  
  
"All right". The figure standing behind Haruka sighed softly, before gently grasping the strands of long blonde hair in front of him. A few snips later and it was done.  
  
"Say hello to Prince Haruka", Llauron said solemnly as he gently turned his twin sister towards the mirror. "I'm sure he's going to make a great Uranus Knight"  
  
Haruka gave a startled gasp as she took in her new reflection. Gone was the Princess of Uranus. In her place sat a handsome blonde haired boy, eyes wide with surprise. "Yes!" She leapt up and flung her arms around the frail boy standing beside her. "Llauron you're a genius! We may actually stand a chance of pulling this off".  
  
"Well the probability of success is much higher now that your hair's shorter." Llauron gently disengaged himself from Haruka's enthusiastic embrace and stepped back, critically surveying his new 'brother'. "I must say you make a better boy that I do". He looked depreciatingly from himself, back to his sister. The differences between the two of them were startling, almost like night and day. While Haruka had the lithe strongly built frame of an athlete, Llauron was thin and frail. Even his wispy blonde hair looked a faded echo in comparison to Haruka's golden locks.  
  
Llauron rubbed his face, still not entirely comfortable with the crazy scheme his sister had come up with. It had been an easy enough task to break into the computer system and change the details on their confirmation forms. And true to Haruka's predictions, their father hadn't even glanced at the altered confirmation forms before forwarding them on. The castle servants were the only ones to turn out too see the twins off in the morning as they boarded the spaceliner Orion, which would carry them to the Moon. The Orion was a commercial passenger ship and the twins were just another of the 1000 or so passengers on board, which granted them the anonymity they needed to pull of Haruka's transformation from girl to boy. In a few hours time they would arrive at the lunar spaceport where they would go their separate ways. Llauron would stay on at the Crystal Palace, where he would attend the prestigious Lunar University and study to be a healer, while Haruka would catch a shuttle to the planet Earth where she would start her training as a page.  
  
"Are you really sure about this?" Llauron asked his twin again. "You don't have to go to Earth you know. We could leave the records altered so that they think we're both boys. Then you wouldn't have to do Senshi training".  
  
Haruka looked at her brother and smiled. "Don't you get it Llaur? Going to Earth to be a Knight is what I want. Plus it would be too dangerous for me to be around all those magic wielders on the Moon, especially Queen Serenity. It would only be a matter of time before one of them sees through my disguise and then where would we be? At least on Earth, because of the Flawed Crystal, magic doesn't work properly so I will only have to worry about people's normal senses."  
  
Llauron's shoulders slumped. He'd almost forgotten about magic. Since Uranus didn't have an active Senshi, magic use there was limited to just innate talents like increased speed and agility. But this would not be the case on the Moon. There, magic use would be part of everyday life; Jovians using their power over plants to create lush gardens; Mercurians using their ability to freeze things to make superconductors out of the most impossible materials, creating new and amazing technology; Venusians using their empathic abilities to hold large crowds in their thrall as they performed; Martians using fire to get glimpses of the true nature of things. The Senshi and their daughters would manifest the pure essence of these talents. And then there was the most powerful magic user of all, Queen Serenity. She wielded the Ginzuishou, the most powerful artefact in the Silver Alliance. It was said that when she looked at a person, she could see into their very soul. Llauron knew that Haruka was right. It would be too risky for her to stay on the Moon disguised as a boy.  
  
The Earth was really the best option. There, because of the presence of the Flawed Crystal, no magic worked. Every planet in the solar system had a living Crystal Soul at its heart. It was this Crystal that the Senshi got their powers from. Each Royal Family was bonded to their respective planet's Crystal Soul, with the Transformation Wands acting as a Key to unlock their Planetary Powers. The Earth Crystal however was flawed. This had occurred when the First and only Senshi of Earth was possessed by a Daimon, transforming her into Mistress 9, an alien entity. Mistress 9 transformed the Earth Crystal into a portal to the Daimonic Realm, in order to release the Daimonic Hoard and their leader Pharaoh 90 upon the Silver Alliance.  
  
Queen Serenity, unaware of the full extent of the threat, sent the young, newly awakened senshi pair of Tristan Tenoh and Ishtar Kaioh, Uranus and Neptune respectively, to deal with the problem. The two Outer Senshi ended up in a desperate battle at the heart of the Earth itself. Although young and inexperienced, the pair fought bravely, but soon found themselves overwhelmed by the sheer number of daimons that were pouring through the portal.On the brink of defeat, Uranus and Neptune attempted to combine the power of their Talismans, the Sword and Mirror, in a last desperate effort to destroy the portal. Unknown to them, another Senshi was also present; the Time Guardian, Pluto, the bearer of the third and final Talisman, the Orb. When Uranus and Neptune merged their Talismans, it created a resonant feedback loop and drew out the Orb. All three Talismans combined, resulting in a colossal shockwave of power, which spread out from Earth at the speed of light. When the shockwave reached Saturn, it awakened an ancient and terrible power, transforming the planet's young seven year old Heir, Hotaru, into the Messiah of Silence. For the first time in the long history of the Silver Alliance, the full power of Sailor Saturn was invoked. Saturn unleashed her terrible attack, sacrificing herself, and bringing down the Silence, collapsing the portal to the Daimonic Realm, with her and Mistress 9 still in it. The Silver Alliance was saved, but the price of victory was terrible.  
  
For not only was the young Princess of Saturn dead, but the Earth Crystal itself was warped by the event, whether by the nothingness of the Silence or exposure to the Daemonic Realm, nobody knew for certain. The magic it now contained was wild and no one could bond to it and stay sane. The wild magic warped people and things, creating monsters that fed on energy. Queen Serenity was forced to use the Ginzuishou to seal it away, isolating the Earth's Crystal Soul in a shield that prevented its power from escaping, but at a terrible cost for the people of Earth; the loss of magic. To ensure the Earth Crystal never bonded anyone again, Serenity placed a curse on the Royal Line of Earth, the Chiba Family, that ensured only male heirs were born. She also decreed that the Chiba's were forbidden to leave Earth.  
  
The young teenage Senshi of Uranus, Tristan Tenoh was haunted by her decision to combine the Talismans, and blamed herself for the death of Hotaru. The Senshi of Neptune, Ishtar Kaioh wasn't in much better shape, as she was forced to watch the woman, who was both her best friend and the love of her life, tear herself apart. Worried for her two young charges, Queen Serenity took the unprecedented step of sending both young women to the safest planet in the Universe, that of her old friend Galaxia, the most powerful Senshi in existence. There, she reasoned, Tristan and Ishtar would be safe and would have all the time they needed in order to recover from their ordeal. She was right. Tristan and Ishtar used their time with Galaxia, free from the pressures of both their Senshi duties and their Families, to not only heal, but more importantly to explore their fledgling relationship, strengthening and forging it into an unbreakable bond. When the soulbound pair returned to the Silver Alliance, they were startled by the changes that had occurred in their absence.  
  
The Queen of Saturn, Phoebe Tomoe, grief stricken with the loss of her daughter, had not been satisfied with the steps Serenity had taken on Earth. She blamed the people of Earth for the death of her child. Using the volatile mix of fear and ignorance that followed the incident, she managed to convince the other Ruling Families that any one born on Earth was now tainted by the Flawed Crystal, and therefore a possible danger to the Silver Alliance. Queen Serenity, distracted by the cleanup efforts on Earth and her own guilt for sending the young and inexperienced Uranus and Neptune into a battle they weren't ready for, was not present to diffuse the situation. Phoebe's concerted campaign resulted in a unanimous vote of the Eight Ruling Houses, to eject Earth and its Royal Family from the Silver Alliance. The Ruling Council's vote was binding and Queen Serenity was forced to remove the Earth from the Silver Alliance. Humans were now the outcasts.  
  
The only redeeming factor for Earth was the presence of the Ordeal Chamber, in Bara City, the Capital of Earth. Its powers were said to be beyond magic, beyond even Time itself. For millennia, the male heirs of the Silver Alliance entered its doors and came out as either Knights of the realm, or gibbering insane wrecks, who had to be committed for their own safety. The removal of Earth from the Silver Alliance had no effect on the location of the Ordeal Chamber. Queen Serenity was the only one who had the power to move it, and she was not inclined to do so. The Ruling Families were therefore forced to send their sons to Earth, resulting in the development of an uneasy truce. While no Human was allowed to leave Earth, members of the Silver Alliance were free to come and go as they pleased. The Chiba Family still held on to some semblance of power, as visiting Silver Alliance Members were forced to acknowledge their right of Sovereignty on Earth.  
  
Ten thousand years later, not much had changed, except for a slightly more relaxed attitude to Humans. People were no longer quiet so quick to believe that every Human was a daimon in disguise. Instead the attitude was more of pity. For the Flawed Earth Crystal and its unfortunate people. Llauron though, was glad for the lack of magic on Earth. It would allow his sister to escape detection. But he still couldn't help worrying about things. Specifically the Ordeal Chamber and what it might do to Haruka because she was a girl.  
  
A gentle hand squeezed his shoulder "You're worried about the Ordeal aren't you?"  
  
Llauron nodded wordlessly.  
  
"You know I won't be able to enter the Chamber till my eighteenth birthday. I still have three years of being a page, then another four of being a squire to get through first. That's seven whole years to think about it." A mischievous grin crossed Haruka's face. "And right now I have other things on my mind. Or rather stomach." She held up a menu and raised her eyebrows in challenge.  
  
Llauron rolled his eyes at his twin's rather obvious attempt to change the subject, but went along with it anyway. He met her gaze, an equally sly smirk spreading across his features.  
  
"Room service!" They both yelled in unison and dived for the com.  
  
Several hours and several dessert helpings later, the dry computer voice informed the twins that they were in Lunar orbit and would be touching down on the surface in five minutes. They quickly gathered their belongings and made themselves presentable. There was a soft thud as the ship landed, and the computer politely suggested that they proceed to the nearest airlock for disembarkation at their convenience.  
  
"Well we're here", Haruka took a deep breath and twitched her shoulders, trying to get the backpack she was carrying to sit more comfortably. They had agreed that splitting up before they left ship was their best option. The fewer people that saw them together on the Moon, the better.  
  
Llauron reached out and straightened her collar. "Try to stay out of trouble. If we get caught, there will be Hell to pay."  
  
"We're not going to get caught dear brother". Haruka clasped his shoulders in a warm hug. "You need to stop worrying so much about everything. This is your dream remember. Loosen up. Try and have some fun. Well as much fun as you can have, with a bunch of boring old books."  
  
"Well at least one of us has to do the worrying. I'm just making up for your total lack of common sense", Llauron's answering hug took the sting out of his words. He released his twin and stepped back, a more serious expression on his face. "Haruka make sure you watch you back", he said earnestly. "There are plenty of tests coming up".  
  
"Don't worry Llaur, I can handle whatever they throw at me", Haruka pronounced arrogantly, her trademark cocky smile plastered on her face.  
  
Llauron rolled his eyes at her but couldn't help smiling back. He knew that they were brave words, almost foolhardy, but something about his sister's confident arrogance made him feel better. "So we really going to do this then". He nodded towards the room door.  
  
Haruka's smile lost its playful arrogance for a brief moment. "Yes we are", she said quietly but firmly. Two pairs of identical green eyes met for the final time. Both twins knew that the next time they saw each other things would be very different. "Take care brother".  
  
"You too, 'brother'", Llauron replied.  
  
Haruka froze for a second at hearing the unfamiliar form of address. Then she squared her shoulders and marched determinedly to the room door, which swished open in front of her. There was a steady stream of people hurrying along the corridor outside, eager to get to the airlock and the outside world. With a final jaunty wave she stepped forward and was immediately swept away into the throng of people. After a brief moment of hesitation to make one final prayer to whatever Gods were listening, Llauron followed her into the unknown.

* * *

TBC  
  
Okay I have to admit being rather nervous about this chapter. Mainly because I had a great deal of history that needed to be explained, and I don't think if I've fitted it seamlessly into the story. It feels more like I've force fed the facts to you my unfortunate captive audience. I'm not entirely happy with it and will probably end up tinkering with stuff, but for now I will just put it up as it is. The next part, which is about three quarters done, actually has Haruka and Michiru meeting...well 'hopefully' anyway. Let's hope I don't have too change things. -; Thank you for reading and as always, feedback will be much appreciated. 


	4. Chapter 4

Title: First Knight

Pairing: Haruka and Michiru

Rating: PG-13

Haruka. Michiru. Sailor Moon. Not mine. Not mine. Not mine. For full disclaimers see Part 1

To everyone still following this story, thank you for your patience! Rest assured I will complete this eventually, but be warned there is still a long way to go yet. This is turning into an epic

And now onto one of the most enjoyable parts for me anyway, besides the writing, feedback!

**Sailor Doc: **Thank you so much for your kind review. I will definitely be considering writing Ami and Makoto!

**Chan, KatFay, drake,** **Neko **Thank you all for reading my story and thanks muchly for the review! I'm glad you are enjoying it!

**Faded9wayz**: Hope you had a comfy chair with all the waiting I unfortunately made you do ;; Enjoy the next part!

**yo-yo: **Thank you so much on the feedback regarding the history parts. It certainly helped me as a writer. And maybe, just maybe you might get your wish about seeing H&M meet in this part!

**Tigonookami: **Thank you so much for your kind words. Constructive feedback is definitely something every writer can use. All the history bits are original, and are a product of my imagination, though some of it is adapted from Sailor Moon S, particularly the whole Mistress9 and the daihmons bit. The only thing I have borrowed from Tamora Pierce is the concept of the Chamber of Ordeal, and even that is going to be a bit different in that Knights actually get crystal armour in my world, whereas in Tamora Pierce's it was more of a spiritual trial. And of course I borrowed the fact that the brother and sister switch places.

And on with the story!

* * *

Part 4

Haruka paused, her mouth dropping open in awe as she got her first glimpse of Mare Iridium, the capital city of the Silver Alliance. Mare Iridium meant the Sea of Rainbows and Haruka had to admit the name fitted perfectly. The entire city was made from softly luminescent crystal, in an endless array of colours which lit the air in rainbow swathes of light. The buildings looked more like elaborate pieces of jewellery rather than places you could actually live in and it was difficult to believe that the crystal they were made from was harder than diamond. Rising above everything, at the heart of the city, was the Crystal Palace, a magnificent castle made of pure white crystal.

It was certainly very different from the windswept mountain fortress of Uranus. And the people! Never in her life has she seen so many. They were almost as colourful as the city itself. She saw merchants, priests, nobles and commoners all intermingling for it was Trade Carnival time in the city. The week long festival attracted people came from all over the Silver Alliance, as it was a showcase of the best products and services each planet could offer. She watched a group of Jovian nobility pass by, their distinctive biometric leathers more a living organism than clothing, before her attention was captured by a giggling bunch of teenage Venusian girls, the constant shifting colours of their attire, designed to draw the eye to the wearer.

Haruka checked her watch and realised she had a few hours to wait before she was due to board the shuttle for Earth. Her brow furrowed as she considered her options. The shuttle terminal was all the way across the city, and it would take her about half an hour to get there using the maglev. It would definitely be safer if she went directly to the shuttle terminal. That way she minimised the risk of bumping into anyone who could see through her disguise. But on the other hand, seeing as it was Trade Carnival, there were so many people about that no one was going to pay attention to her. Her white shirt and dark blue pants was common enough, and if she kept the crystal around her neck hidden, no one would identify her as the Uranian heir. She placed her hand on her chest, feeling the shape of the crystal hidden underneath her shirt. It was from this crystal that House Tenoh got its Winged Angel crest from. She'd received it at birth and it marked her as the heir to the Uranian throne. It was a strictly matriarchal system, but luckily for her disguise, male heirs also received the crystal if they did not have any sisters.

She dropped her hand to her side and gave the crowded station platform filled with people waiting for maglevs heading to the carnival a considering look. Immediately an image of Llauron popped up in her head, his face disapproving. After a brief second of hesitation, Haruka shook her head determinedly and banished her twin's image. Then she made a beeline towards the carnival platform. After all, what were the chances of her bumping into any other royalty in the mass of people, she could see up ahead.

The carnival itself was overwhelming. It was a riot of colour, movement and sound. Sellers hawked their wares aggressively, shoving their goods at people and shouting for them to buy. Weirdly shaped fruit in colour combinations she had never seen before drew her eye, and tantalizing smells drifted from the different food stalls. It almost made Haruka wish she hadn't eaten so much aboard the Orion.

The gleam of bright metal caught her attention, and Haruka drifted towards a weaponsmith's stall. She sucked in a breath of appreciation at the beautifully crafted swords that were on display, ranging from standard metal blades, to the various powered types, including the top of the line vibroblades, capable of cutting through metal. They were a far cry from the wooden practise swords, she was used to wielding. Her father did not care much for swords, or physical fighting in general, so only invested in the bare minimum in equipment. And that was only after the Sergeant-at Arms had to remind him that Llauron would need some familiarity with weapons, before he left for Earth. However, it was Haruka, not Llauron who made the most use of the weapons. To her holding a sword, seemed as natural as breathing. More an extension of herself than anything. Forms that took Llauron months to master, she would do in days. It was almost like she already knew them and was just out of practise.

Ignoring the stall owner's suspicious glare, she reached out a hand and traced the intricate workmanship on the hilt of one of the swords. Someday she would own a blade finer than this one. After one final longing look at the swords, Haruka stepped away from the stall and back into the bustling crowd.

Several hours later, a tired but satisfied Haruka was ready to head to the shuttle terminal. Her backpack was noticeably heavier, filled with several types of candy from several different planets. The candy had been free, which was certainly a lucky break for her, since she couldn't very well afford to buy anything, given how frugal her father had been with the amount of credits he'd given her and her twin. She'd insisted that Llauron take the lion's share of the money, since she knew he would need it to buy books. Her only real worry was clothing. They'd been forced to split Llauron's wardrobe in order to outfit both her and him, seeing as she couldn't very well wear dresses while pretending to be a boy. This had left Haruka with only four shirts, and a couple of pairs of pants. She could make do with those, seeing as she would be wearing the standard page uniform for the majority of the time, but she was a bit worried about formal occasions. Unfortunately Llauron only had one formal outfit. He'd insisted that she take the navy jacket and pants, with their embroidered Winged Angel crests, leaving him with the waistcoat and shirt. She just hoped that they would last her until her father's next stipend came in.

Haruka grimaced as she thought of the conditions back home. With no active Senshi to control the winds, the weather on Uranus had become increasingly more wild, with numerous violent storms that caused widespread devastation. Crops failed more often then not, and they were forced to import food from other planets. This had put enormous stress on Uranus's already faltering economy, leaving little left over for any luxuries. Haruka's jaw tightened in determination. Her main motivation for being a Knight, was so she could help her people. She didn't see any value in going for useless senshi training. Not when there was no transformation wand. At least with a Knight's training she would be of some use to Uranus by being able to defend her home.

Curses and shouts from up ahead broke into her thoughts, making her look up. A hoverbike courier was hurtling along the crowded pathway, causing people to leap out of the way to avoid being run over. The courier appeared to have absolutely no concern for anyone else's safety, but it was obviously a common enough occurrence, because people were just shaking their fists after the rider had passed, and then going back to whatever they had been doing.

Haruka stepped off the pathway, intending to head in another direction, away from the hoverbike, when something made her turn back. She scanned the crowd on the path in front of the speeding bike, and her breath caught in her throat. An aqua haired girl was standing in the middle of the footpath, with her back to the hoverbike, her attention focused on the shell she was holding to her ear. She was totally oblivious to the approaching danger.

Glimpsed through the slit in his visor, Haruka saw the hoverbike courier's eyes widen. He started to apply his brakes, but she instinctively knew that he wasn't going to stop in time.

A woman's hand rose towards her mouth, her expression frozen in horror. The child holding onto her dress scrunched his face up in displeasure as his mother's sudden movement moved the ice-cream he'd been looking forward to, out of his reach. Another woman opened her mouth to yell a warning at the girl, and further away a dark haired man started to run towards her, his face contorted with despair.

Haruka shrugged out of her backpack in one smooth motion and then she _moved, _like only a Uranian could, her form blurring. There was an uncanny grace to her movements as powerful muscles propelled her through space, faster than the eye could follow. Her hair blew backwards as the speed of her passage displaced the air molecules around her. She effortlessly dodged around people, their movements ponderously slow relative to her. In the space between one blink and the next, she'd passed the dark haired man who had barely taken a step in the time it had taken her to cross five times that distance. She flung herself at the girl and catapulted them both out of the way.

And time slowed.

The crystal around Haruka's neck flashed a dark blue and floated up to meet the glowing green of the crystal the aqua haired girl wore. For an instant two figures were superimposed on the two girls. A beautiful sea-green haired woman and a tall, slender blonde.

The girl placed the palm of her right hand on Haruka's cheek. "_Beloved_". A woman's voice, melodic and graceful.

"_M'Lady_", Haruka replied. Her voice too had deepened into an adult's, but whereas the girl's had been a light and musical mezzo soprano, hers was a warm and husky alto.

"Michiru"! A frantic voice broke the spell and the green and blue glows vanished from the two crystals. Time unfroze and two bodies hit the ground.

Haruka shook her head to clear it and realized she was lying on something soft. She looked down to see an aqua haired girl trapped beneath her, a dazed expression on her face. Her own brow furrowed in confusion. She remembered the speeding hoverbike and pushing the girl out of the way. And then something else happened. Something extremely important. The memory hung tantalizingly out of her reach and she struggled to bring it into focus. Unfortunately whatever the memory was, it was lost in the next second as a hand grabbed the back of her collar, and she was lifted none too gently of the other girl.

"Michiru are you okay?" The dark haired man Haruka had overtaken on her way to rescuing the girl, dropped her unceremoniously on the ground, and then knelt beside the aqua haired girl.

"I'm all right Papa", the girl sat up gingerly in the man's protective embrace.

Haruka scrambled to her feet. The hoverbike rider gunned his engine and fled the scene, but Haruka's eyes remained fixed on the pair in front of her. Her insides turned cold as she took note of the Trident crest emblazoned on both the man and the girl's clothing. If that wasn't enough, the crystal hanging from the silver chain around the aqua haired girl's neck confirmed it. She had just rescued the heir to House Kaioh, Neptune's Royal Family. Haruka knew she had to get away before she called any more attention to herself. She took a step back intending to just fade away into the crowd. There was a startled gasp from behind her as she collided with a soft surface.

Immediately the dark haired man's head snapped in her direction. The look on his face was enough to make Haruka swallow rather nervously, but his glare suddenly softened as he focused on something behind her. She felt the gentle pressure of hands on her shoulders as whoever she had bumped into steadied themselves. Haruka turned her head and her mouth dropped open, for standing behind her was one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen. Long aqua hair cascaded down her back, surrounding a delicate face. She was tiny, barely taller than Haruka, the elegant green dress she wore exposing lovely curves that were doing strange fluttery things to Haruka's stomach. Amused hazel eyes stared back at her and full lips quirked into a knowing smile. Belatedly she noted that the woman's dress also carried the now familiar Trident crest, except this one had a crown underlying it. The fluttery feeling was rapidly replaced by a sinking one. There was no doubt about it. This woman could only be the Queen of Neptune.

Haruka flushed and hurriedly stepped away from the aqua haired queen. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty", she bowed.

"Think nothing off it. There was no harm done," the Neptunian queen's musical voice carried a strangely familiar accent. She gracefully waved away Haruka's apology, her attention focused on the pair behind the blonde. "Michiru, darling, are you all right?"

Haruka glanced sideways at the girl and her father who had both gotten to their feet.

The girl was frowning as she looked between Haruka and her mother. An expression that looked remarkably like jealousy flitted across the aqua haired princess's face. Some part of Haruka smirked in amusement, but a larger part of her couldn't stand to see the other girl upset. Haruka turned her head and looked directly at the princess. She smiled like it was the most natural thing in the world for her to look into those beautiful blue eyes. The princess's expression softened after a moment and she smiled shyly back at the blonde. Something in Haruka's chest tightened and she absently noted that she much preferred blue over hazel.

"I'm fine mama", the girl broke their gaze as her mother stepped around Haruka to hug her. "This...", she hesitated for a second before continuing, "boy pushed me out of the way in time".

"We owe you our thanks lad", The dark haired man extended his hand out to Haruka and clasped her forearm in a firm grip. "I saw what you did. You saved my daughter from serious harm".

"It was nothing Sir" Haruka said awkwardly. "Anyone would have done the same". She noted that the man still had one arm wrapped around his daughter, while the aqua haired Queen fussed over her. A wistful expression crossed her face as she watched the small family interact. So that's what it was like when parents cared about their children.

* * *

TBC

I know that the astronomical symbol for Uranus is actually a stylised H, in honour of Herschel, its discoverer, but I've always thought it looked like a diving angel and so decided to use that. Plus I think it definitely suits Haruka to have a Winged Angel crest, being the senshi of the heavens and all.

As always reviews would be much appreciated! :)


End file.
